Cardinals open with easy victory

YUMA, Ariz. - The North Idaho College men's basketball team won its season opener on Thursday, but its thoughts were far from the basketball court.

Longtime local broadcaster Dick Haugen, traveling with the team to webcast their games, suffered a mild heart attack about 1 1/2 hours before the game. He was rushed to a local hospital, where surgery to put in a stent was performed.

NIC coach Jared Phay, who visited Haugen at the hospital after the game, said Haugen was doing well, and may be able to leave the hospital today or Saturday.

"Obviously he was on everybody's mind," Phay said. "We're glad he's OK."

Michael Middlebrooks scored 17 points, Mikey Hope 16, Keon Lewis 14 and James Webb III 12 as NIC beat Tohono O'odham Community College of Sells, Ariz., 102-66.

"It was sloppy - they did a full-court man-to-man press the entire game," Phay said. "We ended up getting some easy buckets, but we had a lot of turnovers too - I would guess 30."

NIC plays host Arizona Western, the defending Region 1 champs, tonight at 7:30.

"Obviously our thoughts are more with Dick than basketball right now, but we'll go out and battle tomorrow night," Phay said.

NORTH IDAHO

Jordan McCloud 3 3-5 9, Jalil Abdul-Bassit 3 1-2 7, Chris Sarbaugh 2 2-2 6, Jason Wheelock 0 2-2 2, Andrew Baracco 1 0-0 3, Keon Lewis 6 2-7 14, Michael Middlebrooks 6 5-8 17, Mikey Hope 5 6-6 16, Dalen Erickson 2 0-0 6, James Webb III 6 0-1 12, Nathan Rathbun 1 0-0 2, Kaj Sherman 3 0-0 6. Totals 38 21-33 102.

TOHONO O'ODHAM

Cesar Solis 2 0-1 4, Devan Spears 2 0-0 5, Jamison Gutierrez 0 2-2 2, Gabriel Velencia 0 1-2 1, Drew Harris 2 5-6 10, Gary Johnson 2 8-10 12, Octavio Martinez 0 0-0 0, Roland Ramon 3 5-5 14, Reynaldo Beyale 0 2-2 2, Christian Thompson 5 1-2 11, Ryan Tocke 0 0-0 0, Bandon Neskahi 1 2-3 5. Totals 17 26-33 66.

Halftime - NIC 53-30. 3-point goals - NIC 3 (Baracco 1, Erickson 2), TO 6 (Spears 1, Harris 1, Ramon 3, Neskahi 1). Fouled out - none. Total fouls - NIC 22, TO 25.